(Not reviewed by Chairman Mao)

(October 5, 1967)

Time: 6:10 PM, October 5, 1967

Location: Great Hall of the People

Participants:

Vietnamese Side — Head of the Vietnamese Party and Government Delegation, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Nghi; Deputy Head Hoang Van Hoan; Delegation Members Ly Ban, Ngo Minh Loan; Head of the Delegation of the South Vietnam National Front for Liberation, Hoang Van Dan; Delegation Members Truong Binh, Trang Hien Sinh, Ngo Thi Tuyet, Le Chi Nguyen, Nguyen Thanh Quang, Bui Van Binh, Nguyen Ngoc Bui, Nguyen Minh Phuong

Chinese Side — Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, Nie Rongzhen, Yang Chengwu, Su Yu

Interpreter: Trang Mo Cau

Recorder: Yao Shigen

Head of Delegation Hoang Van Dan: Today, the comrades of our delegation are very happy to be able to meet Chairman Mao and Vice Chairman Lin. First of all, please allow me to convey to Chairman Mao and Vice Chairman Lin the respects of our South Vietnam National Front for Liberation, President Nguyen Huu Tho, the South Vietnam Liberation Armed Forces, and the people of South Vietnam, and to wish Chairman Mao and Vice Chairman Lin good health. At the same time, we convey to Chairman Mao and Vice Chairman Lin the gratitude of our South Vietnam National Front for Liberation, President Nguyen Huu Tho, the South Vietnam Liberation Armed Forces, and the people of South Vietnam—gratitude for the assistance provided by Chairman Mao and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the people of South Vietnam, and for the concern shown for the struggle of the people of South Vietnam.

Chairman Mao: Thank you.

Head of Delegation Le Thanh Nghi: Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, and Premier Zhou, our two delegations are very happy to have been able to participate in the 18th National Day celebrations of the People’s Republic of China and to observe China’s Cultural Revolution. Today, we also extend our greetings to Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, and Premier Zhou, and inquire after your health. We are very glad to see that you are in good health, and the greatest joy is to see that Chairman Mao is in very good health.

Chairman Mao: So-so.

Le Thanh Nghi: On behalf of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Workers’ Party and the Vietnamese Government, I once again congratulate you on the great National Day of the People’s Republic of China, and wish the Chinese people great victories in the cause of socialist construction and in the Cultural Revolution. At the same time, we convey to Chairman Mao, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Government, and the Chinese people the gratitude of our Party, Government, and people—gratitude for the tremendous support and assistance provided by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Government, and the Chinese people to both the northern and southern parts of our Vietnam.

We report to Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, and Premier Zhou that we are fighting fiercely on the battlefields of both South Vietnam and North Vietnam, and have won victories on all fronts. After the victory of the second Winter-Spring Campaign, during the rainy season, we have continued to achieve great victories on the battlefields of South Vietnam.

Now, the people’s war in both the northern and southern parts of Vietnam has developed very swiftly and is winning victories. The idea of people’s war was put forward by Chairman Mao.

The reason we can win victories is primarily because we rely on people’s war. No matter how powerful U.S. imperialism may be, it will eventually suffer defeat.

It should be said that the victories we have achieved in the past, during the War of Resistance Against France and in the current struggle against U.S. aggression and for national salvation, have been the result of the wholehearted, invaluable, and immense assistance from Chairman Mao, the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Government, and the Chinese people. Our Party, Government, and people are deeply grateful for this.

Chairman Mao: We are also grateful to you.

Le Thanh Nghi: At present, our war is in a fierce stage, but it can be said with certainty that final victory will certainly belong to us. Although U.S. imperialism has resorted to various sly tactics and carried out severe escalations of the war, our 31 million Vietnamese people are determined to fight until final victory, to liberate the South, defend the North, and thereby reunify the motherland. We firmly believe that we will surely achieve the final victory—because, first, we have the determination of our entire army and people, and second, we also have the immense support and assistance from our fraternal, great Chinese people.

Now, the fighters from South Vietnam are here. The weapons they use are the weapons you have provided; the clothes they wear are the clothes you have provided. It can be said that the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Government, and the Chinese people, following Chairman Mao’s instructions, have made enormous contributions to the victory of our Vietnamese people’s struggle against U.S. aggression and for national salvation. Allow me once again, on behalf of our entire Party and all people in the northern and southern parts of Vietnam, to express heartfelt thanks to Chairman Mao, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the Chinese people.

Chairman Mao: Thank you very much, you and the other comrades here. Because you are on the front lines, we thank you first. This is not an issue for just any one country—the people of the world are watching you. What you are dealing with is the number-one imperialist power in the world. According to the rules of the past, the Korean War didn’t produce a very good outcome—it just recovered the northern part, fought halfway through, and its troops didn’t withdraw. The difference is that you have strong forces in the South. This situation is not only different from the Korean War, but also different from Algeria. Algeria, with a population of 10 million, was able to defeat France’s 800,000 troops, and in the end, France had to withdraw. Just as you have said, the final victory will belong to you. This is well-founded. It will just take turning it into a protracted war.

Le Thanh Nghi: We also educate our people to fight a protracted war.

Chairman Mao: That’s what America fears. And right now, you have one unified government, one unified party, one unified army—practically one family. Our assistance only helps you build roads, and gives you some weapons and supplies.

It’s been eight years since you started fighting up to today (not counting the time before 1959). It began with very small guerrilla units, didn’t it? In the end, it grew into a force of several hundred thousand, comprising not only militia members who haven’t left production, but also guerrilla units and regular troops.

America boasted about setting up an electric barrier wall to cut off North from South. How has that turned out now?

Le Thanh Nghi: Of course, they can’t stop anything no matter what.

Chairman Mao: They can’t stop anything. If they do set it up, what methods will you have to destroy it?

Le Thanh Nghi: We certainly have ways to destroy it. We now have a road built from the North to the South. This road runs behind the Truong Son mountain range.

Chairman Mao: Has it not been completed yet?

Le Thanh Nghi: That road has already been completed. U.S. imperialism cannot even defend its own cities and airfields; how could it possibly defend such a wall!

Chairman Mao: Well said.

Ngo Minh Loan: This defense line was conceived on the advice of McNamara, so it is called the McNamara Line. This line stretches from Duoc Mieu to Con Thien, 25 kilometers long and 600 meters wide. They have driven away all the sick residents from within the defense line.

Premier Zhou: To separate North from South.

Chairman Mao: That’s the place at the 17th parallel.

Premier Zhou: From the North, concentrate artillery to bombard it. Now they want to build an electric wall.

Chairman Mao: Has it been completed?

Ngo Minh Loan: When they first started building it, we used heavy artillery to bombard it, and as a result, they had no way to continue, so they had no choice but to abandon the plan.

Chairman Mao: So they don’t dare.

Ngo Minh Loan: Now they don’t dare continue it.

Chairman Mao: Now it’s not just 25 kilometers long; they wanted to build it all the way from the seashore to the Mekong River.

Ngo Minh Loan: They say that, but they can’t do it.

Le Thanh Nghi: Now, in the area south of the 17th parallel, around Route 9, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien, they cannot even hold their positions, so they are putting out public opinion saying they intend to withdraw. That place is only 50 kilometers away from the 17th parallel. From the North, it only takes one day and one night to walk there.

Hoang Van Dan: U.S. imperialism has always been like this—boasting loudly before doing anything. For example, with pacification in South Vietnam, they bragged for half a year and still couldn’t accomplish it. It’s the same in Long An Province.

Chairman Mao: Where is Long An?

Hoang Van Dan: Long An is right next to Saigon, and serves as the gateway to Saigon. U.S. imperialism wanted to make this province its pilot site for pacifying South Vietnam, but it couldn’t do it. On the contrary, our military and civilians in the central region of South Vietnam have achieved great victories.

Reporting to Uncle Mao, we are very pleased that the 40mm rocket launchers provided by China to fight tanks are highly effective.

Yang Chengwu: They are specifically for fighting tanks.

Hoang Van Dan: Now their tanks cannot play any role.

Chairman Mao: What part of the South are you from? For instance, with the South being here, are you closer to the North, in the middle, or in the far South?

Hoang Van Dan: Right in the area to the south of Saigon.

Chairman Mao: Oh, south of Saigon.

Hoang Van Dan: Only 35 kilometers from Saigon.

Chairman Mao: (Facing the other comrades from the Southern delegation) And what about you?

Nguyen Minh Phuong: Allow me to introduce them to Chairman Mao.

Head of Delegation Hoang Van Dan’s home is in Long An Province, right next to Saigon, only 35 kilometers from Saigon.

Comrade Le Chi Nguyen’s home is in Ben Tre Province, which is also the home province of Comrade Nguyen Thi Dinh.

Comrade Trang Hien Sinh is from an ethnic minority; his home is in Tay Ninh.

Comrade Nguyen Thanh Quang’s home is 10 kilometers south of Da Nang.

Comrade Truong Binh’s home is in Binh Dinh Province.

Comrade Bui Van Binh’s home is in Quang Ngai Province.

Comrade Ngo Thi Tuyet’s home is also in Quang Ngai Province.

Premier Zhou: She’s only 18, isn’t she?

Nguyen Minh Phuong: Comrade Ngo Thi Tuyet is just 18 years old this year, but she has been participating in the revolution for six years. She has eliminated 25 American devils.

Comrade Nguyen Ngoc Bui is from the same province as I am—Thua Thien Province—which is also Comrade Nguyen Chi Thanh’s home province.

Chairman Mao: Americans are afraid of the masses. Cut off from the masses, without the masses, they have no way out. There's no trick to it—that's just how it is. Look, the Americans have no masses; they don’t win people’s hearts. Not only do people in other countries not like them, but people in their own country aren’t that pleased with them either. Among those soldiers sent to fight in your country, the senior and mid-level officers can get rich, but junior officers, squad leaders, platoon leaders, and ordinary soldiers not only can’t get rich, but also face danger.

Le Thanh Nghi: I would like to express thanks on behalf of our delegation to Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, and Premier Zhou for spending so much time receiving us. I wish Chairman Mao good health and a long, long life! I wish Vice Chairman Lin, Premier Zhou, and other leading comrades of the Party and state good health.

Chairman Mao: Thank you very much.

Do you plan to stay in Beijing for a while longer?

Premier Zhou: Comrade Le Thanh Nghi originally wanted to return early, but now, due to illness, he won’t leave until after the 12th.

Chairman Mao: How did your foot get injured?

Premier Zhou: He was hit by a car.

Le Thanh Nghi: It’s much better now; thank you.

Chairman Mao: Where is the injury?

Le Thanh Nghi: At a place just above the ankle—a bone was fractured.

Chairman Mao: How dangerous!

Le Thanh Nghi: After being hit by the car, I fell into a ditch. My whole body was injured, and I had pain everywhere. But fortunately, my head wasn’t injured.

Chairman Mao: That car was no good. Has the car been changed for you now?

Premier Zhou: With some caution, this problem wouldn’t have happened.

Chairman Mao: This was very badly handled. Look, U.S. imperialism hasn’t managed to wound you yet.

Hoang Van Dan: All the comrades of our delegation once again wish Chairman Mao a long, long life! A long, long life! And wish Vice Chairman Lin, Premier Zhou, and other leading comrades of the Chinese Party and state good health.

When we go back, we will tell President Nguyen Huu Tho of the South Vietnam National Front for Liberation and the people of South Vietnam that Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, Premier Zhou, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China have shown great concern for our delegation and the people of South Vietnam.

We guarantee to Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, Premier Zhou, and other leading comrades of the Party and state: no matter what difficulties we encounter, and no matter what methods U.S. imperialism employs, we are determined to fight on—until not a single shadow of the American aggressor remains in South Vietnam.

Chairman Mao: Good.

Hoang Van Dan: Chairman Mao, Vice Chairman Lin, Premier Zhou, and other leading comrades of the Party and state have shown great concern for the situation in South Vietnam. We express our thanks once again.

Chairman Mao: Good. Extend my greetings to the comrades of your Party—greetings to Chairman Ho Chi Minh, Comrade Le Duan, Comrade Pham Van Dong, Comrade Truong Chinh, and Comrade Vo Nguyen Giap.

Le Thanh Nghi: Thank you, Chairman Mao.

Premier Zhou: Comrade Hoang Van Dan hasn’t had an X-ray yet, has he? He has been wounded seven times.

Hoang Van Dan: I have already had it done.

Premier Zhou: Can the shrapnel be removed?

Hoang Van Dan: Reporting to Premier Zhou, the shrapnel inside doesn’t cause any hindrance now, so let them stay there. After we have defeated the American aggressors, we’ll operate to remove them.

Le Thanh Nghi: Thank you, Chairman Mao. We now take our leave.

Source: Newly Discovered Speeches of Mao Zedong in Confidential Archives, edited by Song Yongyi, National History Press, July 2018

Thanks to Vissarion for collection and organization